Canadian Team Leads F1600 Title Chase with Scott Andrews

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – Exclusive Autosport heads to the sweeping Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course this weekend, 3rd-5th July, as the F1600 Formula F Championship Series and F2000 Championship Series hit the mid-way point of the 2015 season.

Michael Duncalfe’s squad, the official factory Spectrum team in North America, has enjoyed a stellar showing in F1600 with Australian Scott Andrews maintaining his lead of the points standings following another impressive outing last time out at Virginia International Raceway.

Claiming two more wins at VIR to take his top-step season tally to five, Andrews has proved to be the class of the field with the 23-year-old holding a commanding 109 point lead over his closest title rival, America’s Steve Bamford (392-283).

Canadian Thomas McGregor sits fourth in the Driver Standings for Exclusive Autosport heading into this weekend’s F1600 triple-header. The Saskatoon-based racer, a former Formula Tour F1600 Pro Champion in Canada, scored his first podium of the season at VIR following a series of races to start the year where his outright pace wasn’t mirrored by results.

That all changed earlier in June with a third place podium in Virginia saw McGregor joining Andrews for a 1-3 team finish. Contact in the second race denied Thomas a second consecutive top-three but a blistering drive to sixth with fastest lap of the race secured a well-deserved pole position for the final event. Solid points ultimately moved McGregor up from sixth in the points to fourth heading to Mid-Ohio this weekend.

In the F2000 Formula Championship Series Exclusive Autosport continues to field American Trent Walko. A pair of top-five finishes at VIR cemented his top-six position in the Driver Standings with the teenager gaining valuable experience in the category. His fourth place result in the opening race proved that first podium of 2015 is close.

“Our goal for this weekend is really to solidify Scott’s position in the points and ensure he maintains his championship lead. He’s having a tremendous season and despite this being his first visit to Mid-Ohio, I’m confident he’ll be up there adding to his five wins to-date.

“Similarly I know Thomas has the pace to build on his VIR results. It was great to see him on the podium at the previous round and if wasn’t for more of the bad luck that’s blighted him all season, he’d have been back up there pushing Scott. All being well we’ll see them both at the head of the pack all weekend. Trent’s progressing in F2000, we’re seeing more from him each time out. He’s placing top-five and working hard to break into the podium spots. I’m confident he’ll get there, we had a podium with Thomas at Mid-Ohio in F2000 last season so maybe this will be our weekend to get Trent up there too.”

F1600 Formula F Championship Series - Exclusive Autosport Driver Quotes:

Scott Andrews (@scottandrews44): #94 Exclusive Autosport / Exclusive Management Inc. / Automobility PTY Ltd / Andrews Automotive / Spectrum / Sparco / Honda Racing HPD

Championship Position: 1st (392pts)

Quote: “It’s my first time racing at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course so Friday’s going to be another one of those key days getting to grips with everything as quickly as possible. The team gives me a great car each weekend though so I’m confident for another strong weekend. The racing’s been close this year, there’s never a dull moment but I don’t take anything for granted. I’m looking forward to getting the weekend started.”

Thomas McGregor (@TMacRacing): #93 Exclusive Autosport / Exclusive Management Inc. / Dairy Queen / Spectrum / Sparco / Honda Racing HPD

Championship Position: 4th (245pts)

Quote: “I had a good visit at this track last season in F2000 with Exclusive Autosport. We finished second on that occasion and it’s certainly a circuit I enjoy. There’s plenty of overtaking opportunities and knowing the tight nature of this year’s F1600 series, they’ll be used a bunch of times. Hopefully we can work from the front and not have to worry about passing people though. I’d like to climb higher in the points and keep that momentum going now!”

F2000 Formula F Championship Series - Exclusive Autosport Driver Quote:

Trent Walko (@twalko91): #91 Exclusive Autosport / Spectrum / Zetec

Championship Position: 6th (157pts)

Quote: “I know we’re in for a fun weekend at Mid-Ohio thanks to the nature of the circuit. Our results at VIR were certainly solid but more importantly consistent. That gives me a good platform to build on as I get more experience under my belt racing.”

Round 4 of the SCCA sanctioned F1600 Formula F Championship Series and F2000 Championship Series at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course gets underway with Friday practice. Saturday 4th July hosts Race 1 of F1600 at 1:30pm EST followed by Race 1 of F2000 at 3:10pm EST. Sunday 5th July hosts Race 2 and 3 of F1600 at 8:55am and 1:20pm EST respectively and Race 2 of F2000 at 3pm EST.

Formed in 2013, Exclusive Autosport has quickly forged a reputation as one of North America’s premier junior formula outfits. Championship success came quickly under Michael Duncalfe’s leadership with notable achievements including back-to-back driver titles in 2013 and 2014 in the Canadian Toyo Tires F1600 A-Class Championship and in the Quebec Formula Tour 1600 Pro-Class Championship.

Exclusive Management Inc. is the official North American Importer and Distributor for Spectrum Chassis, designed and produced by Borland Racing Developments in Australia.

www.exclusiveautosport.ca / @ExclAutosport

Series Links:
F1600 Formula F Championship Series: www.f1600championshipseries.com
SCCA Pro Racing: www.sccaproracing.com